EPISTLE II. 5 1. KNOW then thyself; presume not God to scan; 10 15 Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides; 19 Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides; 1 Know then thyself. The division of the Epistles is clear and philosophical: the first treats of the ways of Providence; the second of man, considered as the subject of passions and powers; the third of man as a social being; and the fourth of man as the object of happiness. 20 Go, measure earth. In the early part of the reign of Instruct the planets in what orbs to run; Superior beings, when of late they saw 25 30 George I. the public attention had been drawn to the problems of the longitude, and the true figure of the earth, in which Newton was much engaged. Newton also drew up a tract on ancient chronology, by desire of the princess of Wales, which was surreptitiously translated and published in France. To this an allusion is probably made in the line, Correct old time, and regulate the sun.' Newton died in 1726. 34 And show'd a Newton as we show an ape. Controversy, at once angry and amusing, has done its worst with this wellknown line. Warburton and his followers contend that the angelic wonder is at the sagacity of man: the opposite side contend, that it is at his burlesque imitation of the wisdom of superior beings. The truth may lie between. When Pope writes, Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule; : Then drop into thyself, and be a fool !— he evidently ridicules the presumption of man in attempting knowlege above his sphere and certainly our predominant feeling at the mimicries of an ape is not grave admiration of its intelligence, but amusement at the oddity of its imitation of acts whose meaning it is intirely inadequate to comprehend. Still, Newton was not in the condition of the ape; for he was adequate to comprehend what he undertook, the physical illustration of nature. The obvious conclusion is, Could he, whose rules the rapid comet bind, 35 Trace science then, with modesty thy guide: Or tricks to show the stretch of human brain, all; 41 45 50 55 Which served the past, and must the times to come! 60 that Pope's idea was not clear to himself: his ear was caught by the epigram, while he was poetically careless of the philosophy. Warton traces the image to an obscure poem of modern latinity; The Zodiac of Palingenius.' The quotation is certainly on the side of the burlesque : Simia cœlicolum risusque jocusque Deorum est Man, but for that, no action could attend ; Most strength the moving principle requires : Active its task, it prompts, impels, inspires : Sedate and quiet the comparing lies, Form'd but to check, deliberate, and advise. Thicker than arguments, temptations throng; 75 At best more watchful this, but that more strong. The action of the stronger to suspend, 79 Reason still use, to reason still attend : Wits, just like fools, at war about a name, 85 71 Self-love still stronger, as its objects nigh. The contrast between the objects of self-love and reason is common; but the direct reference here was probably to Bacon:- 'The difference (of affection and reason) is that the affection beholdeth merely the present, reason beholdeth the future and sum of time.' |